back inflation v. jacket style

[Sasquatch]

Which is better?

It REALLY depends on how you dive now, and how you see yourself diving in, say, five years.

I dive a bit of a hybrid: Aeris Atmos XT. It has a cumberbund and shoulder straps like a jacket but most of the flotation is on the back with very small side floats. I'm quite pleased with it.

Sea ya!

Oh, pass the popcorn, please!

 

[CompuDude]

If you see yourself being a "vacation diver" who dives once or twice a year in warm water, a jacket style will do you fine. Any bc will, for that matter, because you're just not using it enough to really know the difference. That said, back inflate (whether backinflate bc or bp/w) is better underwater, because it helps you stay horizontal.

Interestingly, I've spoken to a number of instructors (and I agree with them) who insist that jacket style is better for basic instruction, and pool work in particular, because you spend a lot of time talking on the surface, and jacket-style bc's let you maintain this unnatural upright position a lot easier. Once you get underwater, however, the horizontal position is best, and back inflate or bp/w works better.

On the surface, back inflate means you either have to lie back (totally comfy) or work a little bit to maintain position. In anything short of a dire emergency in high seas, simply laying back should solve any problems you might have with relaxing on the surface in a backinflate or bp/w.

So the question to me is this: where do you intend to spend most of your time? Bobbing on the surface, or swimming underwater?

 

[SmileMon]

What are sholder floats? is he talking about the counter-lungs?

I'm having problem staying horizontal as it is, adding a sholder float is just going to mess it up even more.. but maybe some people have heavy heads..

 

[PerroneFord]

Yea, he was talking about the counter-lungs...

 

[cleung]

My instructor talked me into a back style. I like it. Leaves a lot of room out in front. Only thing is that on the surface, you have to learn how to lie on your back with your legs bent. Otherwise your face will go in the water.

 

[PerroneFord]

Only thing is that on the surface, you have to learn how to lie on your back with your legs bent. Otherwise your face will go in the water.

Absolutely untrue.

 

[Matthew]

A jacket is often sold to or bought by a new diver. Frequently they get a poor fit and it feels like a bag of worms. At this point the either give up on diving, dive poorly or invest in a harness bassed system (BP&W) that they adjust to fit.

The BP&W is a modular approach that lets you replace components such as the harness or wing for different kinds of diving or when one fails. Being configurable it is the prefered platform to rig for doubles and technical diving where more and heavier gear must be carried.

While no BC is intended mainly for surface flotation a jacket will tend to get your head a bit higher. A wing will get up up safe enough but if you over inflate the all that lift out back will inevitably force you forward, so inflate conservatively. Having a non buoyant steel cylinder out back is also helpful. Either format will let you float on your back.

Most jackets have enough air cell out back that when swimming prone you are diving with back inflation any how. Streamlining can vary, I have seen some some big floppy dumbo wings or back inflate bladders that sure didn't look streamlined to me.

Fit is almost everything. In a jacket you must buy the right one. A harness will configure to a very wide range with a little TLC.

My conclusion..... For single tank recreational diving if jacket BC buyers put as much angst and research in to the purchaseas BP&W divers there would be many more happy jacket divers.

FWIW I dive a Sherwood Avid, a jacket, it fits and dives fine though I wish I had a bit more room when diving dry. I do have fleeting fancies of owning a BP&W at some point.

Pete

Very good post!

 

[LeFlaneur]

My instructor talked me into a back style. I like it. Leaves a lot of room out in front. Only thing is that on the surface, you have to learn how to lie on your back with your legs bent. Otherwise your face will go in the water.

People talk about this a lot, but personally I've never found it to be an issue.

I got my OW with a jacket style rental. I bought a back inflate as a diver of very limited experience and even at the very first dive had no trouble on the surface whatsoever. Even, for example, leaning forward to remove fins to negotiate the ladder, it isn't as though you suddenly tip face down.

I also found I didn't like the feeling of being squeezed by a jacket style.

I guess if you were unconscious, maybe... haven't tried that yet.

I edited this to add the following -- in case you are making a decision about a purchase. I feel that I may have bought more BC than I need. For me personally, It just turned out that I travel to dive much of the time and am not going tech for now. If I could make the purchase over again, I might opt for a more "travel friendly" bc. There's a lot to be said for the minimalist approach and the BP/W fans seem to have that figured out. Of course there are other options like a Scout or similar BCs.

 

[Divedoggie]

When I assist an OW class or do pool work, I use a jacket style, because 95% of the time we are perpendicular in the water.

When I dive for my own enjoyment, I use back inflate, because it has more freedom of movement, promotes being horizontal in the water, and is adaptable for 2 tanks, higher capacity bladder, etc.

 

[wstein]

I prefer the back inflate due to the more streamlined feel and better fit that I get over a jacket. However, I do miss the pockets, they were perfect for holding my camera or flash light when not in use.